973.7L63 
0Q23a 


M280k 


Quaintance,  Charles  L# 


Abraham  Lincoln  in  Illinois ,  An  Address 
Delivered  to  the  Pupils  of  the  Palmer 
School,  February  12 f 1925 


INCOLN  ROOM 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


MEMORIAL 

the  Class  of  1901 


founded  by 

HARLAN  HOYT  HORNER 

and 

HENRIETTA  CALHOUN  HORNER 


^A^»y.yv^aA>u 


A/**^^  /  JL 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

IN 

ILLINOIS 


An  address 
delivered  to  the  pupils 

of  the 

PALMER  SCHOOL 

February  12,  1925 

by 

CHARLES  L.  QUAINT ANCE 

Public  Relations  Department 

Central  Illinois 
Public  Service  Company 


.  PREFACE 

Mr.  Charles  L.  Quaintance  was  bom  at  Peters- 
burg, Illinois.  His  boyhood  days  were  filled 
with  pastimes  spent  in  close  association  with  the 
scenes  of  New  Salem  and  the  Sangamon  River 
now  considered  historic  from  Abraham  Lincoln's 
residence  there. 

Mr.  Quaintance  fished  off  the  dam  at  the  old 
mill  site  and  enjoys  the  priceless  heritage  of  boy- 
hood association  with  older  residents  of  that 
community  who  personally  knew  and  told  so 
much  about  Lincoln's  determined  struggle  for 
advancement. 

Later  as  an  employee  of  the  Culver  Construc- 
tion Company  engaged  in  rebuilding  the  Lincoln 
Monument  during  the  years  of  1898  to  1903 
additional  episodes  connected  with  Lincoln's  life 
and  memory  were  available. 

This  environment  coupled  with  a  study  of 
Lincoln's  life  and  history  makes  this  address 
particularly  worthy  of  printing  and  distribution. 


,"73.  7 L US  £oow\~ 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 
IN  ILLINOIS 

By  Charles  L.   Quaintance 

The  history  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  whose  birth  we  honor 
today,  and  Springfield,  Illinois,  are  so  closely  woven 
together  that  the  one  is  not  complete  without  the 
other,  and  we  who  live  here  amid  these  historical  sur- 
roundings are  no  doubt  remiss  a  great  many  times  in 
our  thoughts  of  and  about  them.  So  today  let  us  go 
down  the  aisles  of  the  past,  refreshing  our  memories 
of  some  incidents  in  the  great  man's  life. 

Abraham  Lincoln's  early  life  was  spent  in  the 
poorest  of  surroundings — born  in  a  log  cabin  in  the 
hills  of  Kentucky,  February  12,  1809.  His  father 
could  neither  read  or  write.  His  mother  who  was  a 
little  better  educated  than  the  pioneer  women  of  that 
time,  started  young  Abe  to  school  when  seven  years 
old  with  the  only  book  they  had,  an  old  Dillsworth 
Spelling  Book. 

Shortly  after  starting  to  school  the  family  moved  to 
Indiana  and  in  1816  when  the  boy  was  8  years  old 
his  mother  died. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1819  young  Abe's  father  took 
his  second  wife,  a  Mrs.  Johnson.  She  was  a  kind  step- 
mother and  encouraged  the  boy  to  get  an  education. 

It  was  while  living  in  Indiana  that  he  became  inter- 
ested in  law.  A  friend  loaned  him  the  Revised  Statutes 
of  Indiana  which  was  the  first  law  book  Lincoln  ever 
read  and  it  is  said  the  reading  of  this  book  inspired 
him  to  become  a  lawyer. 

In  1830  the  Lincoln  family  moved  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Macon  County  on  the  North  side  of  the 
Sangamon  River,  about  10  miles  West  of  Decatur. 

Abe  being  of  age  commenced  to  shift  for  himself 
and  in  performing  some  of  the  odd  jobs  he  was  hired 
to  do,  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  go  to  New 
Salem,  a  small  village  or  settlement  on  a  bluff  on  the 
Sangamon  River,  about  two  miles  South  of  what  is 
now  Petersburg,  Illinois.  Here  he  became  a  clerk  in  a 
grocery  store. 


Abraham  Lincoln 


Later  Lincoln  and  a  dissolute  fellow  by  the  name  of 
Berry  formed  a  partnership  and  went  into  the  grocery 
business,  but  they  were  not  successful.  They  both 
lived  on  the  stock  of  merchandise,  Berry  drinking  and 
Lincoln  eating  it  up.  Lincoln  during  this  time  was 
reading  every  book  he  could  get  his  hands  on. 

Then  came  the  Black  Hawk  War  and  Lincoln  be- 
came a  Captain  of  a  volunteer  company  which  did  a 
lot  of  drilling  but  no  fighting.  It  was  during  this 
time  that  he  became  acquainted  with  Major  John  T. 
Stewart,  a  lawyer  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  who  was  an 
officer  in  this  war.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  Black 
Hawk  War  Lincoln  became  an  assistant  to  John  Cal- 
houn, County  Surveyor  of  Sangamon  County  and  he 
became  very  proficient  in  this  line.  In  1834  he  was 
first  elected  to  the  Legislature  and  again  renewed  his 
acquaintance  with  John  T.  Stewart,  also  a  member  of 
that  body.  Mr.  Lincoln  and  Stewart  roomed  together 
at  Vandalia,  the  then  capitol  of  the  State. 

Lincoln  counseled  with  Stewart  regarding  his  study- 
ing law  and  he  was  advised  to  start  at  once.  He  was 
then  living  at  New  Salem  and  did  his  studying  in  an 
old  house  used  as  a  cooper  shop  where  they  made 
barrels,  using  the  shavings  from  the  staves  in  an  open 
fire  place  for  light  to  read  by,  and  walking  into  Spring- 
field, about  20  miles,  to  borrow  law  books  from  Mr. 
Stewart. 

In  1836  Mr.  Lincoln  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Springfield  and  about  the  same  time  he  was  again 
elected  to  the  Legislature.  It  was  at  this  session  that 
the  capitol  of  the  State  was  moved  to  Springfield. 
At  the  close  of  this  session  he  became  a  partner  with 
his  friend  Stewart  in  the  practice  of  law,  and  on  April 
27th  the  firm  of  Stewart  and  Lincoln  hung  out  their 
shingle. 

Springfield  was  then  a  mere  village,  a  veritable  mud 
hole.  The  houses  were  scattered  and  poorly  construc- 
ted. The  State  House  had  not  been  built  and  the 
business  then  centered  around  a  vacant  plot  of  ground 
where  the  Court  House  now  stands.  The  County 
Court  House  was  a  two-story  low-ceiling  building,  the 
lower  floor  used  for  a  court  room  and  the  Stewart  & 
Lincoln  Law  Office  was  on  the  second  floor.  This 
building  was  located  at  109  North  Fifth  Street.  Here 
Stewart  and  Lincoln  started  the  practice  of  law  in  an 


In  Illinois 


office  meagerly  furnished — a  rough  made  table,  a  few 
chairs,  a  lounge,  a  bench  and  a  wood  stove  to  heat  the 
room. 

There  were  no  stenographers,  typewriters,  or  dupli- 
cating machines,  and  all  legal  papers  had  to  be  written 
in  long  hand — Lincoln  doing  all  the  clerical  work, 
sometimes  working  well  into  the  night  and  often  sleep- 
ing on  the  old  rickety  lounge,  covering  himself  with  a 
buffalo  robe. 

The  prominence  of  Mr.  Stewart  and  the  efficient  aid 
given  the  people  in  securing  the  Capitol  for  Springfield, 
caused  the  firm's  business  to  grow,  but  while  their 
cases  were  numerous,  they  did  not  bring  in  much 
money,  sometimes  having  to  take  their  fees  out  in 
trade. 

Here  in  his  plainly  furnished  office  were  spent  the 
formative  years  of  Lincoln's  legal  life.  Here  he  de- 
veloped that  legal  logical  reasoning  of  his  and  power 
of  simple  expression  which  made  him  an  opponent  to 
be  feared  in  Court  and  a  debator  of  exquisite  skill. 

The  old  Wabash  Station,  now  the  freight  depot,  is 
perhaps  surpassed  only  by  Lincoln's  Home  and  Monu- 
ment in  the  appeal  to  those  who  know  the  history  of 
Lincoln.  Here,  on  February  11,  1861,  Lincoln  started 
on  his  journey  which  was  destined  to  be  so  vital  to 
his  country  and  so  filled  with  tragedy  for  him. 

Lincoln  had  been  a  resident  of  Springfield  24  years, 
during  which  time  he  had  risen  from  the  most  humble 
place  as  a  lawyer  to  the  greatest  public  office  in  the 
world.  He  had  endeared  himself  to  hundreds  of 
friends  here  and  on  the  day  of  his  farewell  he  sus- 
pected and  had  reason  to  suspect  he  would  never  return. 

The  Southern  States,  led  on  by  South  Carolina, 
which  formally  severed  its  connection  with  the  Union 
November  17,  1860,  were  preparing  to  dissolve  their 
alliance  with  the  Free  States. 

Southerners  in  the  Cabinet  and  Congress  conspired 
to  deplete  the  resources  of  the  Government.  The 
Treasury  was  deliberately  bankrupted.  The  forts  and 
armaments  on  the  Southern  Coast  were  delivered  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  with  the  exception  of  Fort 
Sumpter,  which  was  gallantly  held  by  Major  Robert 
Anderson.  While  this  system  of  bold  and  unscrup- 
ulous treachery  was  carried  on  by  men  in  high  places 


Abraham  Lincoln 


of  trust,  the  chief  executive  of  the  Nation  remained 
a  passive  spectator. 

Amidst  these  potent  scenes  Lincoln,  watching  them 
from  Springfield,  maintained  his  calm  and  vigilant 
attitude.  No  one  knew  better  than  he  the  significance 
of  these  ominous  events  that  were  taking  place  at  the 
Nation's  Capitol.  He  realized  that  the  time  was  fast 
approaching  when  he  would  have  to  take  command 
of  the  Ship  of  State,  drifting  so  rapidly  into  troubled 
waters. 

Upon  this  mighty  task  were  concentrated  all  the 
powers  of  his  mighty  intellect  and  will  and  through 
all  the  desperate  voyage  that  followed  he  never  waiv- 
ered  or  faltered  in  his  course  to  the  hour  when  "From 
fearful  trip  the  victor  ship  came  in  with  object  won," 
but  with  her  more  than  heroic  but  now  victorious 
captain  "fallen  cold  and  dead,"  upon  her  deck. 

On  the  morning  of  February  11,  1861,  Lincoln  left 
his  home  in  Springfield  for  the  scene  where  he  was  to 
spend  the  most  anxious,  toilsome  and  painful  years  of 
his  life.  He  was  accompanied  at  his  departure  by  his 
wife,  three  sons  and  a  party  of  friends. 

"It  was  a  gloomy  day;  heavy  clouds  floated  over- 
head, and  a  cold  rain  was  falling.  Long  before  eight 
o'clock  a  great  mass  of  people  had  collected  at  the 
railway  station.  At  precisely  five  minutes  before 
eight,  Mr.  Lincoln,  preceded  by  Mr.  Wood,  emerged 
from  a  private  room  in  the  depot  building,  and  passed 
slowly  to  the  car,  the  people  falling  back  respectfully 
on  either  side,  and  as  many  as  possible  shaking  his 
hands.  Having  reached  the  train,  he  ascended  the  rear 
platform,  and,  facing  about  to  the  throng  which  had 
closed  around  him,  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height, 
removed  his  hat  and  stood  for  several  seconds  in  pro- 
found silence.  His  eye  roved  sadly  over  that  sea  of 
upturned  faces,  as  if  asking  to  read  in  them  the  sym- 
pathy and  friendship  which  he  never  needed  more  than 
then.  There  was  an  unusual  quiver  in  his  lip,  and  a 
still  more  unusual  tear  on  his  shriveled  cheek.  His 
solemn  manner,  his  long  silence,  were  as  full  of  melan- 
choly eloquence  as  any  words  he  could  have  uttered. 
What  did  he  think  of?  Of  the  mighty  changes  which 
had  lifted  him  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  estate 
on  earth?  Of  the  weary  road  which  had  brought  him 
to    this    lofty   summit?      Of   his   poor   mother   lying 


In  Illinois 


beneath  the  tangled  underbrush  in  a  distant  forest? 
Of  that  other  grave  in  the  quiet  Concord  Cemetery? 
Whatever  the  character  of  his  thoughts  it  is  evident 
that  they  were  retrospective  and  sad.  To  those  who 
were  anxiously  waiting  to  catch  his  words  it  seemed 
long  until  he  had  mastered  his  feelings  sufficiently  to 
speak.  At  length  he  began,  in  a  husky  voice,  and 
slowly  and  impressively  delivered  his  farewell  to  his 
neighbors.  Imitating  his  example  many  in  the  crowd 
stood  with  heads  uncovered  in  the  fast  falling  rain. 
Abraham  Lincoln  spoke  none  but  true  and  sincere 
words,  and  none  more  true  and  heartfelt  ever  fell  from 
his  lips  than  these,  so  laden  with  pathos,  with  humil- 
ity, with  a  craving  for  the  sympathy  of  his  friends  and 
the  people,  and  for  help  above  and  beyond  all  earthly 
power  and  love. 

'My  friends: — No  one  not  in  my  position  can  re- 
alize the  sadness  I  feel  at  this  parting.  To  this  people 
I  owe  all  that  I  am.  Here  I  have  lived  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  century — here  my  children  were  born  and 
here  one  of  them  lies  buried. 

I  know  not  how  soon  I  shall  see  you  again.  I  go 
to  assume  a  task  more  difficult  than  that  which  has 
devolved  upon  any  other  man  since  the  days  of  Wash- 
ington. He  never  would  have  succeeded  except  for  the 
aid  of  Divine  Providence,  upon  which  he  at  all  times 
relied. 

I  feel  that  I  cannot  succeed  without  the  same  Divine 
blessing  which  sustained  him,  and  on  the  same  Al- 
mighty Being  I  place  my  reliance  for  support  and  I 
hope  you,  my  friends,  will  all  pray  that  I  may  receive 
that  Divine  assistance,  without  which  I  cannot  suc- 
ceed, but  with  which  success  is  certain.  Again  I  bid 
you  an  affectionate  farewell.'  " 

After  Mr.  Lincoln's  death  he  was  brought  back  to 
his  old  home  here  at  Springfield  and  placed  in  a  tem- 
porary vault  in  Oak  Ridge  Cemetery.  After  the 
Monument  was  built  the  body  was  placed  in  a  sarco- 
phagus in  the  vault  on  the  North  side  of  the  Monu- 
ment, where  it  rested  for  a  number  of  years. 

Some  little  time  after  the  death  of  Mrs.  Lincoln, 
an  opening  was  made  in  the  floor  of  the  vault  large 
enough  for  the  two  caskets  to  rest  side  by  side.  This 
opening  was  about  six  feet  deep.     After  the  caskets 


Abraham  Lincoln 


were  lowered  into  place,  the  space  above  them  was 
filled  in  with  concrete. 

In  1898  it  was  found  that  a  part  of  the  foundation 
of  the  Monument  was  giving  way.  It  was  decided 
to  rebuild  and  add  18  feet  to  its  height.  A  new 
foundation  had  to  be  put  in. 

The  caskets  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  were  dug  out 
of  the  concrete  and  placed  in  a  temporary  vault.  When 
the  work  of  the  Monument  was  completed  and  they 
were  ready  to  return  them  to  their  final  resting  place, 
the  change  was  made  late  in  the  night.  A  number  of 
high  ranking  men  in  the  State  Government  were  there. 
The  question  arose  as  to  whether  Mr.  Lincoln's  body 
was  in  the  casket.  In  order  to  make  sure  the  casket 
was  opened  and  I  have  what  followed  from  a  man 
who  was  one  of  the  party  that  looked  into  the  face 
of  the  martyred  President.  Death  and  time  had 
changed  the  features  but  little,  only  a  bit  of  mold  on 
the  black  tie  and  lapel  of  the  coat  showed  the  ravages 
of  the  grave. 

The  casket  was  closed  and  placed  beside  his  wife  in 
the  opening  prepared  for  them.  This  opening  was 
filled  in  with  solid  concrete  and  is  located  directly 
under  the  sarcophagus  that  you  see  as  you  look  through 
the  iron  gate  that  leads  into  the  North  Room  of  the 
Monument. 

And  here  we  must  leave  the  body  of  this  great  man 
but  his  soul  lives  on  in  the  hearts  of  the  American 
people  and  will  live  to  the  last  syllable  of  recorded 
time,  and  the  great  life  and  love  he  gave  to  the  world 
will  be  an  inspiration  and  his  memory  a  benediction. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

973.7L63GQ23A  C001 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN  IN  ILLINOIS  ILLINOIS? 


3  0112  031821983 


